Measuring closure



Oct. 14, 1941.

c. R. BENNETT MEASURING CLOSURE Fil ed Nov. 27 1959 INVENTOR. CHARLES R; 8E'NIVE7'7' /Ze.x Maw JIZ ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 14, 1941 UNITED T es PTENT OFFICE MEASURING CLOSURE Charles R. Bennett, Cleveland, Ohio Application November 27, 1939, Serial No. 306,312

8 Claims. Q1. 221-108) This application relates to a measuring and dispensing apparatus which can be used as a closure for cans or jars of granular or powdered material, such as sugar, salt, coffee, or the like, which closure will prevent leakage, which can be turned in either direction through a limited stroke and dispense an exact amount of the material either way, allowing no excess to escape, and always maintaining the receptacle closed in the sense that there is never a direct opening through the dispensing mechanism to the outside. Supplementarily the apparatus may include an agitator to prevent packing of the material.

It will be understood that the closure will be at the bottom of the vessel when in dispensing position, although it may of course be applied and used. asa .ca'p,.so that'it forms a lid when the vessel .is upright but a dispenser when the vessel is inverted. For simplicity, no further reference will be made to the upright position of the vessel, and such words as top and bottom are used in connection with the dispensing position.

The following detailed description, and the drawing, pertain to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it being understood, that such de- 3 scriptive and illustrative matter are not limitations upon the invention, the scope of which is set out in the claims. I

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a top plan view of the dispenser assembled, looking down from the plane l-| of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a bottom view looking upward, taken on the plane 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a vertical central section on the plane 3-3 of Fig. l or Fig. 2; V

Fig. 4-. is a vertical radial detail taken on the plane 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is the same View as Fig. l, but with the handle and the moving parts at the opposite end of their movement from that shown in Fig. 1; V

Fig. 6 is a bottom view with parts in the same position as Fig. 5, looking upward;

Fig. '7 is an exploded view of the entire apparatus, principally in side elevation, but with cersection;

Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are plan views looking down, showing the successive elements of Fig. '7 taken on the planes 3 8, 9--9, [5-40 and I l-I I respectively.

In the View of Fig. 7, the parts are all in the relative positions shown in Fig. 1.

As previously stated, my dispensing closure may be either a separable cap, as for instance to be applied to a coffee can after the original tin top has been cut out, or itmay be a permanent lid, as for example on a sugar dispenser to beheld inverted on a bracket for use in a restaurant or the like. In Fig. 3 the container C is indicated by broken lines and the closure is shown as secured thereto by a collar 2|, which is inwardly stepped as at 22, and includes a portion 23 of reduced diameter, inwardly-flanged as at 24, and thus providing a guide for a semi-circular shield or bottom cover 25 which fits on a square shaft 25 extendingentirely through the assembly, such shaft, being turned by handle 27. For convenience in following the positions of parts indifferent figures, the edges of 25 are designated as 25A and 253 respectively. 7 H

The sub-assembly shown in Fig. 10 rests by its flange Silupon the step 22, being fastened thereto by any suitable means, such as screws 3|, Figs. 1 and 5. In detail, this sub-assembly consists of the flange 39, a depending rim 32 not so deep as the portion 23 within which it fits, and a horizontal bottom 33 to the rim' 32. This horizontal bottom is cut by two sectors 3 3A and 33B as discharge openings. Between these two cut-outs there is a remaining solid sector of the bottom 33, which for convenience is designated as 33C. The plate 33 is also centrally perforated as at 33D, leaving two narrow inner arcuate connections of 33C to the main portion of the plate 33 and also forming inner boundaries of the cutouts 33A and 33B. These connections, which are designated as 33E and 33F, overlie the edge of a small semi-circular ear 25C extending out from the edges 25A25B of bottom cover 25 and with a square central perforation to fit shaft 26. Each of the radial sides of the sector 33C carries a vertical upward vane 34A, 34B, for purposes described hereafter.

Another sub assembly, which I term the scoop, shown in Fig. 9, rests upon the sub-assembly of Fig. 10. This scoop comprises a semi-circular top plate it, the edges of which for convenience of identification are designated as 49A and 4013; a semi-circular central downward hub 46C fitting tain parts broken away and shown in vertical 1 7 po v g a Cy ical Wall 44 closed at the bottom by a disk 45; an outwardly depending rim M; and a middle blocked-off sector 43 defined by radial walls 43A, 43B and the portions these intercept on 4| and 44. Members 4|, 43A, 43B and 44 are of the same depth, but the bottom disk 45 extends further down so that when assembled it fits into opening 33D, Fig. 10, as a turning bearing for the scoop. The disk 45 has a central square perforation to receive the square part of shaft 26, so that the scoop will be turned by the handle 21. The scoop thus has two pockets, 48A and 48B, of which 48A is effective on counterclockwise swing of the scoop, and 48B is effective on clockwise swing. Each pocket is bounded by members 4|, 44 and 43A or 4313 (as the case may be), and the capacity of the pocket determines the amount of material discharged by each swing of the scoop. When either pocket comes over its corresponding opening 33A or 33B in the assembly of Fig. 10, it empties itself.

A hood 50, shown in Fig. 8, is permanently fitted over the portions 33A, 33B, 33C and 33D of the Fig. 10 assembly. This hood includes a flat semi-circular top, a depending rim 52 and an ear 5| to overlie the top of the hub 42, and centrally perforated for passage of the upper threaded portion of shaft 26. Lugs 53 attach the hood to the step 22 of the outer rim.

As apparent from Fig. 7, the bottom cover 25- and the scoop fit below and above the stationary plate 33, and move as a unit with respect to that plate. They are assembled in the relative positions of Figs. 9 and 11, so that the scoop forms the left half and the bottom cover the right half of a full circle. Consequently the spaces 33A and 33B are always closed below by part of the shield 25, or covered above by part of the scoop top 40, and as a pocket moves over either opening the bottom cover moves away so that the pocket can empty itself. The hood, also stationary, always covers the openings 33A and 33B, so that there is never any direct path open for escape of material from the container. Leakage past the inner ends of the pockets is prevented by the bearing of the inner vertical edges of the vanes' 34A and 34B against the hub 44 and the close fit of the rim 4| within the rim 32 of Fig. 10 prevents escape of material around the outside of the pockets.

Optionally, a stirrer may be used above the hood 50 to keep the material from caking and sticking to the top of the hood. This preferably consists of a three bladed propeller 6i] fastened to shaft 26 by suitable means such as the nut 63 and washer 62, so that it rotates with the bottom cover 25 and the scoop of Fig. 9, as the handle 21 is turned.

Movement of the scoop in either direction is stopped by an end of the scoop rim 4| coming against a vane 34A or 3413, the latter contact being indicated by the arrow X, Fig. 5. A full and exact measure is insured by the fact that when the handle 21 is swung to its extreme position in either direction, the pocket 48A or 48B which is swung back uncovers an area of plate 33 equal in plan to the pocket area, and the material of course covers this; and the bottom of such column of the material is cut off and caught in the pocket when the scoop swings back. Since the scoop has a pocket on each end, it is double-acting. In other words, if the scoop is moved to its full limit of travel in either direction, then when it is moved to its full limit of travel in the other direction, it sweeps whichever pocket is forward through a space completely filled with the material to be measured out, and the pocket itself becomes completely filled, but cannot be overfilled, since the top 40 is moving under the hood 50, so that 43 and 50 together act as a valve.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have invented a measuring and dispensing device which is of simple construction, tight against leakage, which will measure accurately in either direction of movement, which can never allow spilling of the contents no matter what position it is left in, which can be readily taken apart and put together, which prevents compacting of the contents and which can be readily applied to a jar or similar containing vessel.

It will be understood that my invention may be used in modified forms and proportions, and that the disclosure is illustrative while the scope of the invention is determined by the claims.

I claim:

1. A measuring closure comprising in combination; a plate, a hood over a portion of said plate, a scoop slidable over said plate into and out of a position under said hood and being open on a face against said plate and having edges closely adjacent said plate defining said open face, and a bottom cover beneath said plate; said plate and hood being mutually'fixed; said scoop and bottom cover being mutually fixed; edges defining apertures in the hooded portion of said plate and means for causing relative movement between said plate-hood group of elements and said scoop-cover group of elements.

2. A measuring scoop comprising in combination a plate, edges therein defining sector-shaped openings; a hood over said openings; a scoop over said plate and slidable into and out of a position under said hood; and a cover below said plate adapted to cover said openings and positioned in fixed relation to said scoop but movable with respect to said plate, said cover being diammetrically opposed at all times to the position of said scoop, and said scoop being movable into a position under said hood.

3. In a measuring device of the character described, a circular plate having a solid semi-circle and a semi-circle wherein edges define apertures, said apertured semi-circle comprising portions connected to said solid portions by skeleton members, a cover below and against said plate, and a scoop diametrically opposed to said cover and above and against said plate, certain walls of said scoop defining pockets, said apertures having upstanding vanes on the mutually adjacent sides of each, and being of form equal to the bottom form of said pockets respectively, said pocket-defining walls being each inner and outer circumferential walls and a radial wall of said scoop, and said vanes wiping at their ends said inner and outer circumferential scoop walls.

4. A measuring closure comprising in combination; a stationary circular plate, a stationary arcuate hood over a portion of said plate, a scoop rotatable with respect to and between said plate and hood, and an arcuate bottom cover beneath said plate; said scoop and bottom cover being mutually fixed as complementary parts of a circle; edges defining apertures in the hooded portion of said plate and means for causing relative movement between said plate-hood group of elements and said scoop-cover group of elements.

5. A measuring scoop comprising in combination a plate, edges therein defining sector-shaped openings; a hood over said openings; a scoop over said plate and slidable into and out of a position under said hood; and a cover below said plate adapted to cover said openings and positioned in fixed relation to said scoop but movable with respect to said plate, said cover being so related at all times to the position of said scoop as to move away from an aperture as the scoop moves over it.

6. In a measuring device of the character described, a circular plate having a closed sector and a sector wherein edges define an aperture,

a cover for said apertures below and movable against said plate, and a scoop diametrically opposed to said cover and above and movable against said plate simultaneously with movement of said cover, a pocket in said scoop defined by outer and inner arcuate walls and a radial back Wall, said inner arcuate wall bearing on said plate and constituting a hub for said scoop, said aperture having an upstanding vane on its side to-,

Wards which said pocket moves for discharge, the inner end of said vane wiping said hub wall.

'7. In a measuring device of the character described, a circular plate having a closed sector and a sector wherein edges define apertures, a cover for said apertures below and movable against said plate, and a scoop diametrically opposed to said cover and above and movable against said plate simultaneously with movement of said cover, pockets in said scoop defined by outer and inner arcuate Walls and a radial back wall, said inner arcuate wall bearing on said plate and constituting a hub for said scoop, said apertures having upstanding vanes on their respective sides towards which said pockets move for discharge, the inner ends of said vanes wiping said hub, and the outer ends of said vanes serving as stops for said outer scoop walls.

8. A dispensing device of the character described comprising in combination; a rim adapted to be fastened to a container, a bead on the edge of said rim which is remote from said container and an outward shoulder in said rim above said bead; a semi-circular cover rotatable on said bead; a plate resting on said shoulder, edges within said plate defining respectively a central circular opening and two outer openings with a central solid portion intermediate the outer openings, the semi-circle of said plate opposite said openings being unbroken; a scoop of arcuate outline above said plate, said scoop comprising in combination a central hub and an arcuate member whereof said hub is the center of rotation, and having walls defining two pockets each open at an edge and at the bottom, said walls bearing on the rim of said plate, said hub bearing on the center of said plate, a stationary hood over the top of said scoop permanently positioned over both said openings, said hood being elevated above said plate a distance sumcient to just clear the top of said scoop; a central shaft engaging said cover and said scoop; and a handle on said shaft accessibl from the outside of the assembly.

CHARLES R. BENNETT. 

